2014 responsible canadian energy awards nominees

2014AWARDSR E S P O N S I B L E C A N A D I A N E N E R G Y

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About This Publication

This booklet provides a compilation of the 34 project nominations for CAPP’s 2014Responsible Canadian Energy (RCE) Awards. The awards recognize innovativeenvironmental, health and safety, and social projects that demonstrate responsibleresource development in support of the CAPP RCE Program.

Project summaries and photos have been submitted by individual companies. Projectsare grouped by submission category and listed alphabetically by company name.

For more information about these projects, contact the respective companies directly.

Table Of Contents

President and CEO’s message............................................... 3

Responsible Canadian Energy Program................................. 4

Project Submissions for Environmental Performance........5-17

2013 Responsible Canadian Energy Progress Report .......... 18

Project Submissions for Health and Safety Performance 19-30

Project Submissions for Social Performance ..................31-42

Responsible Canadian Energy Advisory Group..................... 43

Cover Photo Credits Left to Right: Cenovus Energy Inc., Talisman Energy Inc., ConocoPhillips Canada

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Each year the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers (CAPP) recognizes leading performance inCanada’s upstream oil and gas sector through the Responsible Canadian Energy (RCE) Awards.

The RCE Awards are a key part of the broader RCE program and serve to recognize leading practicesin industry. The award recipients are selected from the project submissions by the RCE Advisory Group,comprised of leaders from the safety, environment, labour, Aboriginal, academic, private, finance andinvestment communities.

There are three categories of submissions: environment, health and safety, and social performance. Thisyear we received a record 34 submissions for the awards from CAPP member companies. As you will readin the project summaries in this booklet, the projects nominated demonstrate leadership, innovation andthe application of new technology to improve performance in many areas of our industry. Together theydemonstrate our industry’s ongoing commitment to performance improvement and provide examples fromwhich others can learn and build upon. They also supplement and augment our annual RCE progress report.To find out more about our progress, visit www.capp.ca/rce.

On behalf of all CAPP staff and members, I would like to congratulate and thank all of the membercompanies that made submissions this year. Your effort and results are a powerful reflection of our industry’scommitment to Responsible Canadian Energy.

Sincerely,

Dave Collyer

President and CEOCanadian Association of Petroleum Producers

PRESIDENT AND CEO’S MESSAGE

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The RCE Program represents a collective commitment by CAPP’s member companies to continuouslyimprove, measure and report on their performance in the areas of people, air, water and land. Themeasurement, analysis and reporting of information enables industry to show both where it is makingprogress in improving performance and where more focus is needed to ensure every worker returnshome safely each day, to reduce industry’s environmental footprint, and to improve the ways in which itengages stakeholders.

VISION, MISSION AND OUTCOMESThe RCE Program aligns directly with CAPP’s Vision and Mission statements, which are endorsedby the CAPP Board of Governors.

CAPP’S VISION:Our vision is to enhance Canada’s prosperity by enabling responsible growth of Canada’s upstreamoil and gas industry.

CAPP’S MISSION:On behalf of the Canadian upstream oil and gas industry, our mission is to advocate for and enable:

• Economic competitiveness; and,

• Safe, environmentally and socially responsible performance.

RESPONSIBLE CANADIAN ENERGY (RCE) PROGRAM : ENVIRONMENT

This means achieving the following OUTCOMES for our industry:

Competitiveness, in North America and globally, so as to attract the capital necessary to growproduction and expand markets and to deliver value to the Canadian public and to our investors; and,

Social Licence from governments, Aboriginal peoples, the public, stakeholders and the communitiesin which we operate, which will be determined by:

• Our collective performance, as measured by continuous improvement and comparison toworld-class benchmarks; and,

• The effectiveness of our communication and outreach.


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: ENVIRONMENT

Photo Credit: Suncor Energy Inc.


6 www.cnrl.com

In May 2008, Canadian Natural Resources Limitedcreated the first compensation lake in Alberta’soil sands region. Horizon Lake, also known by itsCree name Wapan Sakahikan, represents a uniquealternative to addressing environmental impacts tofish habitat. Developed in close consultation withlocal people and incorporating Aboriginal traditionalknowledge in its design, the lake is a self-sustainingecosystem with a growing population of native fishspecies.

Canadian Natural has continued to enhance fishhabitat near the lake by improving summer feeding

and overwintering habitat for Arctic Grayling, aregionally sensitive fish. This project involvedapplying innovative measures to increase speciespopulation such as installing a rock weir and scourpools in an inlet river to create deeper water habitat.The company is monitoring the project’s success,using fish fences, hydroacoustic technology andimplanted tags to track fish movement and measurespecies abundance and habitat use.

Canadian Natural is sharing the learnings and datafrom its Horizon Lake experience with stakeholdersand other operators.

ENHANCING HABITAT FOR ARCTIC GRAYLING

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7www.cenovus.com

PILOTING NEW SYSTEM TO REDUCE NOX EMISSIONS

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In the oil sands, steam generators are the mainsource of nitrogen oxides (NOx), an air emissionformed during combustion. Cenovus Energy ispiloting a flue gas recirculation system to reduce NOx

emissions at its SAGD oil sands facilities.

Flue gas circulation is used in vehicles, but Cenovuswanted to prove the technology at a larger scale. Thecompany retrofitted a steam generator at its ChristinaLake plant for a demonstration project that began inSeptember 2012. Flue gas is recycled into the steam

generator, which reduces the temperature of theflame by reducing the amount of oxygen available forcombustion. Cooler temperatures mean less NO

x isformed, which reduces overall emissions.

Early results show a 50 per cent reduction inNOx emissions. Cenovus has installed flue gasrecirculation in its new steam generators at ChristinaLake and is identifying opportunities for use at itsother oil sands projects.


8 www.ptac.org/attachments/1211/download

DEHYDRATOR TECHNOLOGY REDUCES EMISSIONS,PROVIDES FUEL SAVINGS

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ConocoPhillips Canada operates many glycoldehydrators to remove moisture from natural gas.A byproduct of this process is a waste gas streamcontaining benzene. To reduce site emissions,the company’s energy efficiency team pilotedan innovative technology at its Ferrier, Albertacompressor station, starting in October 2013.

The technology, called SlipStream, uses upgradedengine controls and piping to capture previouslyvented gas to fuel a natural gas engine on site. Thisrecovered gas now provides more than 10 per cent ofthe engine fuel requirements.

In addition to significant fuel savings, the retrofitproject has:

• reduced the station’s benzene emissions by morethan two tonnes a year;

• lowered greenhouse gas emissions by more than3,000 tonnes annually;

• increased sales gas;• reduced site odors; and• lowered worker exposure to benzene.

ConocoPhillips now has a proven technology that canbe installed at a number of dehydrator locations toensure reliable regulatory compliance while providingpositive economic returns.


9www.commitmentrunsdeep.ca

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ENGAGING EMPLOYEES IN NEW IDEAS TO REDUCEGREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS

Devon Canada has a greenhouse gas (GHG)reduction budget that awards funding to initiativesproposed by Devon employees. This program engagesemployees in environmental stewardship and createsawareness around why energy efficiency and GHGmitigation are important to Devon’s business.

To qualify for funding, the initiatives must provide asuitable rate of return, result in measurable emissionand energy reductions and go beyond regulatorycompliance. All submitted projects go through avetting process by Devon’s employee-led GHGWorking Group.

In its first year in 2013, the budget totaled $2.5million. Thirty-three employees came forward withmore than 75 proposed projects; 11 proposals wereselected for implementation. Together these projectsare anticipated to:

• reduce emissions by approximately 30,000 tonnesof carbon dioxide equivalent a year—the equivalent of removing 6,300 vehicles fromCanada’s roads;

• provide estimated savings of over $1.5 million peryear; and

• result in a rate of return of more than 40 per cent.


10 www.commitmentrunsdeep.ca

MANAGING IMPACTS TO WILDLIFE NEAR IN SITUOIL SANDS OPERATIONS

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Devon Canada has oil sands interests in northeastAlberta in two actively operating projects (Jackfish1 and 2), one approved project near completion(Jackfish 3) and one project in the approval stage(Pike 1). Impacts to wildlife, biodiversity and landare major topics of interest for stakeholders of theseprojects, and Devon is proactively addressing themthrough its In Situ Oil Sands Wildlife Mitigation andMonitoring Program.

Devon’s program is a multi-pronged commitment tomonitor wildlife populations, conduct environmentalresearch to fill key data gaps and mitigate negativeimpacts to biodiversity in and around project areas.The program has been endorsed by regulators as

best in industry for such initiatives, and comprisesfive key elements:

• wildlife mitigation commitments;• a long-term wildlife mitigation and monitoring

program;• a regional caribou collaboration and research

program;• BearSmart practices; and• innovative wildlife inventory techniques for remote

areas and hard-to-detect species.

Learnings from the program have enabled Devon toimprove its performance in predicting, reducing andmitigating impacts to wildlife in many ways.


11www.encana.ca

CAPTURING VENT GAS TURNS EMISSIONSINTO FUEL

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In 2012, with funding from its EnvironmentalInnovation Fund and the Climate Change andEmissions Management Corporation (CCEMC),Encana initiated a two-year program to install ventgas capture systems at 52 natural gas compressorsin southern Alberta.

Each system captures fuel gas vented to theatmosphere as part of normal operations andredirects it into the compressor engine’s air intake tohelp fuel the engine. The technology was developed

by REM Technology Inc., a division of SpartanControls, based in Calgary.

The deployment is now 85 per cent complete, andall of the vent gas capture systems are expectedto be operational by June 2014. By redirecting thisgas to fuel the engines, Encana expects to recoverapproximately 175 million standard cubic feet ofsales gas per year, reduce emissions by more than69,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent annuallyand generate $1 million per year in carbon offsets.


12 www.huskyenergy.ca

CO2 CAPTURE AND INJECTION PROJECT FORENHANCED OIL RECOVERY AND CO2 STORAGE

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Husky Energy constructed and is operating aproject to capture and inject carbon dioxide (CO2) forenhanced oil recovery (EOR) and CO2 storage. Thisproject is focused on research and developmentactivities to develop new knowledge and methodsfor EOR in heavy oil reservoirs and for CO2 storage.Husky built the capture facility at its ethanol plantat the Husky Lloydminster upgrader complex inSaskatchewan. CO2 is transported by truck fromthe ethanol plant capture facility to the heavy oil

reservoirs. Husky has retrofitted three existingoilfields for pilot scale projects that inject CO2

into thin heavy oil reservoirs that have been partiallydepleted by primary production. Up to 100,000tonnes of CO2 a year will be captured, injectedand stored.

Husky plans to operate the facilities for multipleinjection and production cycles to test the technicaland economical viability of the cyclic gas injection inimproving oil recovery and CO2 storage.


13www.cosia.ca/focus-areas/land/caribou-habitat-restoration

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PILOT PROJECT IS TESTING RESTORATIONTECHNIQUES IN WOODLAND CARIBOU HABITAT

Since 2011, Nexen Energy, together with other oilsands operators and government and industrypartners, has supported the Algar Habitat RestorationProject, a pilot initiative to restore woodland caribouhabitat near Fort McMurray. The project is animportant undertaking within Canada’s Oil SandsInnovation Alliance (COSIA)—an alliance of oil sandsproducers focused on accelerating the pace ofimprovement in environmental performance inCanada’s oil sands through collaborative actionand innovation.

The project’s purpose is to test multiple restorationtechniques on past linear land disturbance within

56,000 hectares of critical woodland caribou habitat innorthern Alberta. To date the project has resulted in:

• a detailed inventory of industry’s footprint in theregion, including past industrial access andseismic activity;

• land reclamation work; and• sharing of operational learnings.

In addition, a vegetation monitoring programis underway and a wildlife monitoring plan hasbeen developed to determine the effectivenessof the restoration work on woodland caribou andother wildlife.


14 www.shell.ca

SHELL BUFFALO HILLS CONSERVATION RANCHPROTECTS HABITAT IN ALBERTA

In September 2013, Ducks Unlimited Canada, withShell Canada, celebrated the launch of the ShellBuffalo Hills Conservation Ranch, a conservationproperty located one hour southeast of Calgary.

Shell Buffalo Hills Conservation Ranch includes 4,130acres of pristine, native grasslands and an additional1,769 acres of tame hay lands. In total, it representsnearly 6,000 acres for the breeding, migration orwintering of 159 bird species that use native prairieand the boreal forest of Alberta.

Shell has a land and reclamation strategy toguide environmental performance in its oil sandsbusiness. Full oil sands reclamation takes decadesto complete, so conserving land like the Shell BuffaloHills Conservation Ranch allows for action in theshort term. With the Shell True North Forest, north ofGrande Prairie, and the addition of the Shell BuffaloHills Conservation Ranch, Shell has conserved nearly9,000 acres of habitat in Alberta.

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Spills and leaks at oil production facilities have thepotential to impact the environment, personal andprocess safety and operating success. To enhancespill prevention, Shell Canada established a spillreduction group in 2012 at its Peace River Complex innorthern Alberta.

Although acceptable levels of performance had beenmaintained in the past, thorough spill reporting at thein situ heavy oil facility allowed senior managers todetect early indicators of slipping performancethrough identification of smaller leaks and spills. Byendorsing the creation of a dedicated spill reduction

group, they were able to send a clear messageand provide appropriate resources to stoppingthis trend of slipping performance before a majorevent occurred.

The spill reduction group delved into the incident datato find underlying causes, and engaged workers toshare ideas and develop innovative solutions. As aresult, the number and magnitude of spills and leakshave decreased significantly at the facility, and thereis greater awareness among employees of what towatch for in preventing spills.

SHELL CANADA ESTABLISHES SPILLREDUCTION GROUP AT PEACE RIVER FACILITY

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16 www.suncor.com

Suncor Energy operates the Terra Nova field,located off the coast of Newfoundland and Labradorin the Jeanne d’Arc Basin. Recently the companyintroduced a hydrocarbon blanket gas and recoverysystem on the Terra Nova floating production, storageand offloading (FPSO) vessel. The new systemsignificantly reduces the emission of volatile organiccompounds (VOCs).

In conventional cargo systems, inert gas is used tomaintain a positive pressure in the FPSO’s storagetanks. During production as cargo tanks are beingfilled, the mixture of VOC and inert gas is vented intothe atmosphere.

Installed in 2012 and commissioned in 2013,the new hydrocarbon blanket gas and recoverysystem blankets the FPSO’s cargo tanks with purehydrocarbon gas, which is recovered to processduring production, effectively eliminating the releaseof VOCs. The system significantly contributes toreducing Suncor’s corporate VOC emission profile andis intended to operate for the remaining life of theTerra Nova field, so the environmental and economicbenefits will be returned many times over.

NEW GAS RECOVERY SYSTEM REDUCESEMISSIONS FROM TERRA NOVA FPSO

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In February 2013, Suncor implemented an industry-leading process to send tailings water from its oilsands base plant near Fort McMurray through anexisting pipeline to its Firebag facility for reuse asmake-up water in in situ operations. Reusing tailingswater for the in situ extraction process is new not onlyto Suncor but also to the entire oil sands industry.

Through this initiative, Suncor has demonstrated thatreusing water from the end of one project’s cycle inanother part of its business improves Suncor’s watermanagement practices over a larger geographical area

and can reduce overall regional fresh water use.

Suncor has cleared the technical, regulatory andoperational hurdles to allow sharing of recycledtailings between its operations, and is proving thata deemed “waste product” can in fact be reused asa valuable resource for other production purposes.Suncor is now expanding the project by collaboratingwith industry partners to send its recycled tailingswater to other in situ operators to further reduceregional water demand across the industry.

www.suncor.com

USING TAILINGS WATER FOR IN SITUMAKE-UP WATER

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CAPP gathers and analyzes data each year from its members and presents thisinformation in the annual RCE progress report. The report provides data from a nationalperspective, highlighting key issues and trends; detailed data and regional analysis arealso available online. The report is available at www.capp.ca/rce/.

2013 RESPONSIBLE CANADIAN ENERGY PROGRESS REPORT

-19% & -18%0.02% The respective reductions in the industry’s

sulphur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxide(NOx) emission intensity over the past fiveyears. SO2 and NOx emissions contribute toacid rain and smog.

The proportion of Canada’s boreal forests disturbed byoil sands mining since development began almost fivedecades ago.

SOME RCE FACTS

$18 billionTotal annual payments by the upstream oil andgas industry to municipal, provincial and federalgovernments in royalties, income taxes and lease sales.

-29%The reduction in total recordable injuryfrequency among industry workers from2008 to 2012.

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80%The percentage of water used in oil sandsmining production that is recycled. In situ ratesare typically 90 per cent to 95 per cent.

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R E S P O N S I B L E C A N A D I A N E N E R G Y

2 0 1 3 P R O G R E S S R E P O R T S U M M A R YView the full report online at www.capp.ca/rce


: HEALTH AND SAFETY

19Photo Credit: Photographic Services, Shell International Limited


20 www.chevron.ca

In 2013, Chevron Canada operated the MargareeA-49 exploration well in the Orphan Basin offshoreNewfoundland and Labrador. The Margaree well wasdrilled without any recordable injuries or environmentalincidents in one of the most difficult operatingenvironments in the world.

A total of 306,176 person hours were worked withoutany recordable incidents from the start of well planningthrough to the completion of drilling operations. Thisstrong safety and environmental performance was a

direct result of the high level of teamwork demonstratedby Chevron Canada, Stena Drilling and other contractorsto achieving incident-free operations.

The team proved that with proper planning andwith a “do it right – once, the first time” executionphilosophy that Zero is Attainable, even on a complexdrilling operation in the harsh North Atlantic operatingenvironment in ultra-deep water (2,476 metres) far fromshore (415 kilometres from St. John’s, Newfoundlandand Labrador).

PLANNING AND TEAMWORK RESULT IN ZEROINCIDENTS FOR OFFSHORE WELL

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Since 2006, ConocoPhillips Canada has partneredwith Alberta’s Farm Safety Centre to address acommunity need for accurate, easy to access farmsafety information. As a result, they have workedtogether to develop two stand-alone, interactiveDVDs—Rural Safety Sense for children ages 12 to 18and Farm Safety for elementary school students.

ConocoPhillips Canada safety experts collaboratedon the DVDs, which include modules on crushing,entanglement, drowning and asphyxiation, toxicsubstance exposure, falls and collision, noise exposure,oil and gas facilities, electricity and personal accident

experiences. To create the DVDs, families have sharedtheir own experiences in the hope they will preventfuture accidents and fatalities.

The DVDs are placed in around 500 schools eachyear and are used by agricultural societies, counties,municipal districts, local health offices, farmingbusinesses, farm machinery dealerships, adult learningcentres and local safety day events. To date, more than4,500 DVDs have been distributed throughout Alberta,providing a long-lasting, inexpensive learning toolon safety.

www.conocophillips.ca

DVDS HELP TO PROMOTE FARM SAFETYACROSS ALBERTA

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22 www.encana.ca

Silica sand is the most frequently used proppant inhydraulic fracturing operations. (Proppant is a solidmaterial used to keep cracks open in the reservoir rockduring a fracturing treatment.) Recent studies showthat workers—especially those handling proppant—are exposed to high levels of respirable crystallinesilica and may be at risk for developing silicosis(the stiffening of lung tissue), lung cancer and otherserious health effects.

To address this critical health and safety issue, Encana,over the past two years, has developed a multi-

pronged approach, including engineering controls,work practices, protective equipment and training andawareness programs. The company, for example, hascreated an awareness training program for employeesto outline the risks associated with silica dust. It hasalso evaluated a number of technologies to control andlimit the concentrations of airborne silica during high-exposure activities such as sand inloading.

These best practices have been shared with industryand other stakeholders in a proactive effort to bettermanage the hazard and support worker safety.

ADVANCING BEST PRACTICES INSILICA DUST MANAGEMENT

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23www.enerplus.com

As its top priority, Enerplus strives to create aworkplace where zero people get hurt—workers andstakeholders alike. This commitment starts from the top.Building on the Safety Essentials for Supervisors andManagers course, the company created an additionalsafety foundation course in 2011: Positive AttitudesTowards Controlling Hazards (PATCH).

The program’s premise is to engage the hearts andminds of each individual to understand that a hazardcannot be controlled if it has not been identified oranticipated. Each participant is taught the step-by-stepapproach to hazard management, from recognitionand anticipation to control and mitigation. New hazards

are identified regularly and communicated throughoutthe organization. In this way, the company’s goal is tomitigate hazards and create a safe work environmentwhere everyone goes home safely every day.

To date, 98 per cent of Enerplus field employees andover 20 per cent of Enerplusoffice employees havereceived PATCH training.In early 2013, Enerplusintroduced the PATCHprogram to contractors andthird-party representatives.

ENGAGING EMPLOYEES IN HAZARDIDENTIFICATION AND CONTROLTHROUGH PATCH

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24 www.perpetualenergyinc.com

Beginning in 2009, Perpetual Energy embarkedon a transformation of its safety program, targeting aparadigm shift in safety accountability and performance.“Triple Zero” is its Mantra. With the target of zero lost-time injuries, zero vehicle accidents and zero spills, thecompany’s success has been driven by a grassrootsshift in safety accountability. To achieve progress, thecompany has:

• created an effective hazard identification system;• positively reinforced good reporting;• developed an extensive risk matrix;

• built a company-wide safety orientation program;• implemented self and peer audit processes; and• ensured all employees are trained and competent in

their occupational health, safety rights and duties.

Using the continuous improvement model of “Plan,Do, Check, Act,” Perpetual Energy has created aculture of learning and change that is driving improvedsafety performance and cost reductions. In 2013, thecompany recorded zero lost-time incidents, zero majorvehicle accidents and only three spills, and achieved aCertificate of Recognition score of 93 per cent.

DRIVING A MAJOR SHIFT IN SAFETYACCOUNTABILITY AND PERFORMANCE

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25www.enform.ca/safety_resources/

Shelter-in-place (SIP) safety protocols have long beenknown as a safe protection measure in the event of asour gas release. However, the theory behind SIP wasnot widely or effectively communicated, leading to doubtand confusion for residents.

Shell led the change in public safety protocol fromautomatic reliance on evacuation to SIP as the preferredoption. After hearing skepticism from Alberta residentsabout the safety of SIP versus evacuation, Shell committedto increase awareness of the science behind SIP.

In 2011, Shell Canada designed Shelter-in-PlaceProtocol Shift training, using non-technical language

and visual aids, to increase employee and publicunderstanding. The essence of the e-training is thatscience has proven that almost any building that cankeep people warm in winter can retain a supply of cleanair that will outlast a sour gas leak or spill. Thanks to thecourse, employees now understand the science behindthe change so they feel confident providing adviceabout SIP to the public.

The course is free online through Enform, Canada’supstream oil and gas industry safety association.

ONLINE TRAINING PROMOTES UNDERSTANDINGOF SOUR GAS SAFETY PROTOCOLS

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26 www.shell.ca

Following poor safety performance in its 2010turnaround, the Shell Scotford Upgrader in FortSaskatchewan, Alberta, implemented the TurnaroundGoal Zero program in 2013. Led by a steering teammade up of different Shell stakeholders as well ascontractors, the program’s goal was to guide astep-change improvement in the site’s safety culture,thereby improving safety performance during its2013 turnaround.

The program included:

• safety workshops for workers, supervisors andsite leaders;

• weekly health and safety meetings; and• daily feedback to workers to improve safety culture

and performance.

Under the team’s leadership, the program significantlyimproved safety performance during the April-Mayturnaround, which brought more than 1,500 workers onsite. Feedback from contractors, union representatives,Shell global turnaround experts and staff emphasizedthey could see a difference in safety culture at thefacility. During the turnaround, Shell reduced first aidincidents from 138 to 24 and reduced recordableinjuries from 12 to two.

SCOTFORD UPGRADER IMPLEMENTSTURNAROUND GOAL ZERO PROGRAM

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27www.shell.ca

Shell’s Heavy Oil business in Alberta is a uniquepart of the company’s global portfolio. The businessencompasses the Athabasca Oil Sands Project(including mining operations near Fort McMurray andan upgrader and a carbon capture and storage projectnear Fort Saskatchewan) as well as in situ operations.Employing over 4,000 full-time employees and 3,100contractors and operating year round in harsh weather,the scale of the operations presents safety challenges.

In 2012, Heavy Oil had a total recordable casefrequency two to three times greater than the Shellbenchmark. Existing Heavy Oil Visual Safety Leadership

(VSL) activities were not linked to site programs andlacked standardization.

In response, Shell’s Heavy Oil Operations Leadershipteam formed a group to develop and implement a VSLstandard to reduce injuries in the business. Involvingleaders working at site, including contractors, theprogram provided safety leadership training, mentoring,safety engagement tools and performance tracking. Asa result, the business has significantly reduced injuriesand reached over 1,000 people.

INCREASING VISIBLE SAFETY LEADERSHIPIN HEAVY OIL BUSINESS

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Photo Credit: Photographic Services, Shell International Limited


28 www.suncor.com

Contractor personnel are the most susceptible tosustaining a recordable injury within any frontlineworkforce. Contractors incur more injuries thanemployees on an annual basis. Consequently, stipulatingcontractor safety management is the greatestopportunity for improving safety performance in anorganization. When its contractor safety data beganto exhibit a similar trend, Suncor Energy initiatedan enterprise-wide commitment for improvement inlate 2011. At its Edmonton refinery, for example, thecompany launched a contractor safety managementimprovement process.

The refinery’s process involved:

• adoption of upstream competency practices;• enhancement of the current job observation process;• creation of an integrated auditing program, including

a robust investigation practice; and• renewed focus on leading safety metrics.

Although still in its early stages of application, therefinery’s contractor safety management improvementprocess has provided immediate benefit. Since early2012, leading safety indicators such as proactivesafety efforts (safety meetings, inspections and jobobservations) have steadily improved while the facility’scontractor recordable injuries have decreased.

IMPROVING CONTRACTOR SAFETYMANAGEMENT AT EDMONTON REFINERY

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In 2013, Talisman Energy carried out its Cypress 3DSeismic Program, a large-scale, low-impact geophysicalexploration program 100 kilometres northwest of Fort St.John, British Columbia. The goal was to acquire seismicdata while ensuring the project caused no harm topeople, minimized environmental impact and addressedlocal stakeholder and First Nations’ concerns.

Given the remote location and the desire to minimizesurface impacts, the company would move workersand equipment by helicopter. Aviation safety risks weremanaged by conducting helicopter operations during

spring and summer months. At the same time, the projectteam recognized the need to put in place measures toavoid disturbing migratory birds during the critical nestingtiming window.

To manage these challenges, the project team appliednew technologies and improved assurance activities. Theproject became the first to use the Helicopter Associationof Canada’s Final Draft Helicopter Guidelines for CanadianOnshore Seismic Operations. The team also developedpractical methods for identifying and avoiding bird nestswhile carrying out seismic activity.

SEISMIC PROGRAM PROMOTES HELICOPTERSAFETY AND REDUCES IMPACTS TOMIGRATORY BIRDS

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30 www.taqaglobal.com

To support workers and improve operations, TAQAhas established a Supervisor Competency Assessment,a systematic ranking of supervisor competency—and aleading industry practice.

In the past, field staff were assigned projects basedon availability rather than fit-for-purpose skills. Thecompany, however, recognized improved staff practiceswere needed to match project requirements with thehighest strengths available within its cadre of staffand contractors.

Introduced in early 2013, the new SupervisorCompetency Assessment provides a standardized

instrument to assess, rate and prioritize the corecompetencies of TAQA’s supervisors. By identifyingcompetency strengths as they relate to project needs,the company is using the process to appropriately staffand support its projects as well as develop and improvethe working skills of supervisors.

The results have led to enhanced performance at thefield level and an improved safety record. The programhas also strengthened the company’s alignment with itspeople, enhanced communication between supervisorsand field staff, and increased emphasis on safetyleadership across the organization.

NEW SUPERVISOR COMPETENCYASSESSMENT IMPROVES OPERATIONS

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32 www.arcresources.com

A spirit of volunteerism and charitable giving is acentral component of the culture at ARC Resources.An important element of ARC’s community investmentpolicy is ensuring a framework is in place to supportstaff in their giving and volunteering endeavors. In2013, ARC recognized the need to develop a platform tofurther assist employees in connecting with the multiplecharitable and volunteer activities within the company.

Through the work of an employee committee createdto take on this task, ARC introduced the CommunityConnections website. Community Connections is an

internal employee-developed website, which centralizesinformation on community investment and volunteeractivities at ARC, including corporate initiatives, fieldoffice events and employee-led programs.

As a result of the website, employee participation involunteer events has increased and employees feel astronger connection with ARC’s community investmentprogram. The project is mutually beneficial to ARCand its community partners as it raises awarenesssurrounding important causes and helps increasevolunteer and monetary contributions.

WEBSITE CONNECTS EMPLOYEES WITHCOMMUNITY-GIVING ACTIVITIES

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33www.conocophillips.ca

TOUR OF HYDRAULIC FRACTURING SITEBUILDS AWARENESS IN SAHTU COMMUNITIES

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In support of its proposed exploration program in theCentral Mackenzie Valley in the Northwest Territories(NWT), ConocoPhillips Canada conducted a workshopand tour of a ConocoPhillips hydraulic fracturing sitenear Red Deer, Alberta, in November 2012. The programincluded 15 delegates from communities in the NWT’sSahtu region and was carried out in collaboration withHusky Energy, Schlumberger, the Canadian Societyfor Unconventional Resources (CSUR) and the NWTgovernment.

Multi-stage hydraulic fracturing has never beenconducted in the NWT, and ConocoPhillips Canadawanted to prepare communities for the type of activitythat could potentially be expected. Representativeswere flown to Alberta to participate in information-sharing sessions that included presentations, visualaids and extensive dialogue with industry experts. Thiswas followed by a guided tour of a hydraulic fracturingsite. The collaborative model proved very successful,with tour participants recognizing the project’spotential and the need for continued collaboration.


34 www.conocophillips.ca

ConocoPhillips Canada has partnered withDestination Conservation (DC) since 2007 on itssignature environmental program, ConocoPhillipsSchool Environmental Quest, to maximizeenvironmental impact through education.

Through the distribution of $1,000 grants, thisprogram assists schools in establishing student-led environmental and energy-saving projects andprograms that will make positive changes. Projectsand programs range from recycling to installing solarpanels on schools. Each year these activities andsuccesses are published in a booklet that is distributed

to schools and communities to encourage knowledgesharing between them.

Most schools continue to run the programs yearly.In doing so, they make environmental stewardship apart of their school culture. Each year ConocoPhillipsCanada supports over 140 schools in Alberta,northeastern British Columbia and the NorthwestTerritories in running the Quest-DC program. Theprogram has made ConocoPhillips Canada partners incollaboration with Alberta Council for EnvironmentalEducation, Green Calgary, Calgary Mayor’s EnvironmentExpo and more.

ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRAM SPONSORSSTUDENT PROJECTS IN OVER 140 SCHOOLS

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35www.commitmentrunsdeep.ca

Devon Canada’s Cash for Cans program is agrassroots initiative, put forward by two employeesthat work in production and maintenance for Devon’sJackfish heavy oil operations in northern Alberta.Launched in 2010, the program involves collectingrecyclables from across eight Jackfish district officesand camps and donating them to local non-profitgroups in the community. The group that receives thedonation is responsible for taking all recyclables to abottle depot and collecting the redeemed funds. Thefunds are then used for their program or project.

The program is the first of its kind at Devon andhas gained momentum in Jackfish and in localcommunities. In the three years it has been running,the program has:

• raised more than $170,000 for local non-profit andcommunity organizations;

• recycled nearly 1.5 million cans and bottles;• supported 90 community groups through donations;

and• engaged employees in community

investment activities.

CASH FOR CANS PROGRAM AT JACKFISHHEAVY OIL OPERATIONS

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36 www.commitmentrunsdeep.ca

Devon Canada has three signature grant programs:Investing in People, Science Giants and Safe Homes.Collectively, these programs provide an innovativemethod for community-based organizations to accessfunding for organizational priorities that are oftendifficult to fund, such as staff development, operationsor capacity building. Through funding provided bythese programs, Devon supports a wide variety ofcommunity-based initiatives in Western Canada. Devonhas distributed more than $400,000 to 100 communitypartners since the first program was established sixyears ago.

The programs are easy to administer, can be tailored tooperational areas and budgets, and provide significantpositive exposure for Devon within local communities.

For each grant cycle, a committee composed ofemployees chooses the recipients. The employeecommittees are diverse both geographically andprofessionally. The process provides internalprofessional development and team-buildingopportunities. It also affords employees a glimpse intothe priorities of Devon’s operating communities and theimportance of stakeholder relations.

GRANT PROGRAMS SUPPORT COMMUNITYINITIATIVES IN WESTERN CANADA

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37www.encana.ca

A component of social licence is giving back to thecommunities where companies operate. Consistentwith this and its support for strong, safe communities,beginning in 2011, Encana, along with the BritishColumbia and federal governments, took to the fieldwith the BC Lions football club and the Ending ViolenceAssociation and partnered in the Be More Than aBystander campaign.

With a focus on young adults, the campaign is aimedat substantially increasing understanding of the impactof violence against women. Leveraging their publicprofile and role model status, the Lions have travelled

throughout the province, including northeastern BritishColumbia where Encana is active, educating some30,000 high school age students about violenceagainst women. Through their presentations, they haveprovided tools, language and practical ideas about howto be more than a bystander and how to communicatethat violence and abuse is not acceptable.

Building on the initiative’s success, Encana is movingelements of the program into its field operationsand camps.

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EDUCATING STUDENTS ABOUT VIOLENCEAGAINST WOMEN


38 www.imperialoil.ca

Imperial announced the start-up of the Kearl oil sandsproject on April 27, 2013.As part of celebrating first oil atKearl, the company produced a children’s book to createa record of the stories told across generations in Kearl’ssurrounding communities.

The book, Our Stories Help the Northern Lights Dance,features stories collected from Fort Chipewyan and FortMcKay elders and was written by Northwest Territoriesauthor Richard Van Camp, with illustrations by localchildren with assistance from Alberta First Nation artist

George Littlechild.The book provides the reader with anunderstanding of local First Nations and Métis history thatis passed down through generations of storytelling.

Copies of the book were presented to local First Nationsand Métis elders, as well as community schools andlibraries.The book is one of the ways Imperial is givingback to the communities who have shared not only theirstories, but also their deep understanding and respect forthe land where the company operates at Kearl.

CHILDREN’S BOOK RECORDS STORIES FROMABORIGINAL COMMUNITIES NEAR KEARL

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39www.jacos.com

In collaboration with Aboriginal stakeholders,Japan Canada Oil Sands Limited (JACOS)established an advisory group in 2009 made upof potentially impacted First Nations, Métis Localsand Aboriginal trappers.

Known as the Aboriginal Review Group, the advisorygroup provided traditional knowledge to JACOS and itsconsultants while conducting the environmental impactassessment (EIA) for the company’s HangingstoneSAGD expansion project south of Fort McMurray.JACOS provided an independent third-party

environmental consulting firm to the group to reviewand critique all work done associated with the EIA andthe project submission, and supplemental informationrequests. Prior to commencing clearing work for theproject, JACOS and the group held a “pre-disturbance”ceremony to bless the land.

The group is currently advising JACOS on variousenvironmental monitoring plans and will be involvedwith observing construction and operational activities.JACOS has committed to continued support of theadvisory group until final reclamation of the project.

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ABORIGINAL REVIEW GROUP INVOLVED INSAGD EXPANSION PROJECT


40 www.laricinaenergy.com

Laricina Energy, together with community,government, and industry partners Cenovus EnergyInc. and Osum Oil Sands Corp., took a lead role in2013 in supporting a heavy equipment trainingprogram for members of the Bigstone Cree Nation(BCN) in northern Alberta.

The company joined with the BCN, Alberta WorksHuman Services, Cenovus and Osum to provide athree-month machine operations training program for12 band members. The trainees had the opportunityto give back to their community while learning atrade. Participants learned how to operate industrial

equipment while they worked to complete landscaping,ditching, grading and finishing for a newly constructed11-home housing division in the BCN community.The project was expanded to include an additional22-home subdivision and upgrades to roads.

The project provided a number of benefits: The traineescompleted their program and have gained employmentlocally, band members acquired project managementskills, two residential subdivisions on the reserve werere-developed and transformed, and quality of life wasimproved for families in the community.

TRAINING PROGRAM IMPROVES SKILLSAND QUALITY OF LIFE IN FIRST NATIONCOMMUNITY

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41www.socialprosperity.ca

Social Prosperity Wood Buffalo (SPWB) is a five-yearcommunity-driven collaboration project betweenstakeholders in the Regional Municipality of WoodBuffalo (RMWB), the University of Waterloo and SuncorEnergy Foundation to build capacity in the non-profitsector in this region of northeast Alberta. The projectemerged from Suncor’s vision to further build qualityof life in Wood Buffalo by developing and sustaininginnovation and social change.

Established in 2011, SPWB has brought togetherstakeholders from the energy industry, the private

sector, the non-profit sector, government and highereducation. Suncor and the different participantsare working together to develop processes andtools to help the community become more sociallyprosperous, resilient and sustainable.

SPWB reflects Suncor’s community investmentstrategy and commitment to collaboration for long-term sustainability. The project’s goal is to strengthenthe non-profit sector, allowing groups to be moreproactive, better equipped to deal with change andable to support vibrant communities.

SOCIAL PROSPERITY WOOD BUFFALOSTRENGTHENS NON-PROFIT AGENCIES

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42 www.westcentralsh.com

In mid-2012, landowners in the Aurora-Beaver Flatsarea in west-central Alberta expressed concerns aboutthe increased oil and gas activity levels in the regionand associated impacts such as traffic and dust issues.

With the support of the West Central Stakeholders(WCS) group, an established multi-stakeholdersynergy group, the Aurora Energy Working Group wascreated with the participation of oil and gas operatingcompanies, the regulator, the Clearwater County andlocal landowners. The companies included TalismanEnergy, Apache Corporation, Bonavista EnergyCorporation, ConocoPhillips Canada, Imperial Oil, PennWest Petroleum and TAQA North.

The Aurora group was successful in promotingcommunity dialogue and establishing a collaborativeprocess to tackle the primary source of concern—excess dust on a local highway and road. As aconcerted solution, a dust suppression programwas executed in July 2013 on parts of the highwayand road, with the operating companies sharingprogram costs.

The group witnessed a marked decrease in complaintsabout local industry activity. In a follow-up meetinglater that year, community representatives said theywere satisfied with the solution and reported hearingno concerns through the busy and usually dustysummer months.

MULTI-STAKEHOLDER WORKING GROUPESTABLISHED IN WEST-CENTRAL ALBERTA

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Anne McLellan, RCEAG ChairBennett Jones LLP

Bob DemulderAlberta Regional Vice President,Nature Conservancy of Canada

Stewart ElgieDirector, Institute of the Environment, University of Ottawa

JP GladuPresident and Chief Executive Officer,Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business

Cameron MacGillivrayPresident and Chief Executive Officer, Enform

Larry MatychukBusiness Manager,United Association of Plumbers and PipefittersLocal Union 488

Ken OgilvieEnvironmental Policy Consultant

Dr. Robert (Bob) PageDirector, Enbridge Centre for Corporate Sustainability,University of Calgary

Ruth Ramsden-WoodCommunity Member

Greta RaymondIndependent Consultant

Gary RedmondExecutive Director, Synergy Alberta

Robert WalkerVice President, ESG Services, NEI Investments

Dr. Dan WicklumChief Executive, Canada’s Oil Sands Innovation Alliance

RESPONSIBLE CANADIAN ENERGY ADVISORY GROUP

The Responsible Canadian Energy Advisory Group (RCEAG) is composed of leaders representingthe safety, environment, labour, Aboriginal, academic, private, finance and investmentcommunities. The RCEAG is an independent body whose role is to advise and challenge industryto effectively manage its risks and continuously improve its performance.

Members of the advisory group review and provide feedback on the RCE program, performancereport process, and the progress industry is making as demonstrated in the RCE progress report.They also select the RCE award recipients from the nominated projects.

43


The Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers (CAPP) represents companies, large and small, that explorefor, develop and produce natural gas and crude oil throughout Canada. CAPP’s member companies produceabout 90 per cent of Canada’s natural gas and crude oil production. CAPP’s associate members providea wide range of services that support the upstream crude oil and natural gas industry. Together, CAPP’smembers and associate members are an important part of a national industry with revenues of about $110billion a year.

CALGARY HEAD OFFICE

2100, 350 - 7 Avenue SWCalgary, Alberta, Canada T2P 3N9Phone: 403-267-1100 | Fax: 403-261-4622

OTTAWA

1000, 275 Slater StreetOttawa, Ontario K1P 5H9Phone: 613-288-2126

ST. JOHN’S

403, 235 Water StreetSt. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador A1C 1B6Phone: 709-724-4200

VICTORIA

310, 1321 Blanshard StreetVictoria, British Columbia V8W 0B5Phone: 778-410-5000

ABOUT THE CANADIAN ASSOCIATION OFPETROLEUM PRODUCERS

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www.capp.ca


2014 responsible canadian energy awards nominees

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